Bone loss can be caused by stress shielding, osteolysis, infection, mechanical motion generated from a loose implant, or other injuries or disease. Generally, bone defects can refer to a lack of bone tissue in a body area, where bone should normally be. Bone defects can result after a pathological process has destroyed vital components of the bone. In some cases, extensive trauma and infection can cause bone defects. Damage to the bone and soft tissues typically heals slowly and restitution can be only gradually expected. Bone defects can be treated by various surgical methods.
Two of the most problematic issues in orthopedics are infection in the fracture and surgery sites and poor angiogenesis in the graft or implanted sites that result in failed osteogenesis. Generally a collagen gel is used as a scaffold in the field of regenerative medicine. However, as the collagen gel is derived from an animal, it may cause various infectious diseases. Scaffolds that are derived from a chemically synthesized material and include self-assembling peptides may be used to reduce concerns regarding infectious diseases.
Self-assembling peptide hydrogels are injectable because they can be formed in-situ upon interaction of the peptide solution with biological fluids in a sol-gel process. Self-assembling peptide hydrogels are biocompatible, amenable to molecular design, non-toxic, biodegradable, and applicable to localized therapies through injection to a particular tissue.
For applications of these peptide scaffolds involving implantation into the body, there remains a need in the art for peptide scaffolds that elicit no or minimal immune or inflammatory response, and improve the angiogenesis and osteogenesis of the damaged tissue.